Automobile door latch



Jan. 14, 1930. B. E. TAYLOR AUTOMOBILE DOOR LATCH 3 Sheets-Sheet Filed May A24, 1926 JEL-*1 1:2151

M9 w3@ t B. E. TAYLOR 313439637' AUTOMOBILE DOOR LATCH l File@ May 24, 1926 3Sh6etS-Shee''. 2

Jan. 14, 1930, B. E. TAYLOR AUTOMOBILE DOOR LATC Filed May 24. 1926 5 Sheets-Sheet 3 Patented Jan. 14, 1930 PATENT OFFICE BAYARD E. TAYLOR, OF OAX PARK, ILLINOIS Y. AUTOMOBILE Doon LATCH Appiicationgled lay 24,

1 This invention, relates more particularly to a vehicle door latch adapted to be latched and unlatched from the interior of the vehicle Without the use of a key by merely Oper- 5 ating the inner handle of the .door latch, thereby providing a latch with which all but one of the doors of a closed vehicle may be equipped to permit said doors to be latjcli'ed` and nnlatched onlyfrom the interior of the vehicle, while the remaining door maybe equipped with a door latch 'of a type similar to the other door latchesywith the exception that said last mentioned door is rovided with anexternally accessible key loc lmecha-` nism :adapted to permit the last doorfto be lunlocked from the exterior ofthe vehicle;

Ii ie viii ebjeei ef thisv iiiveniien te pievide an aiit'omobile doorlatch adapted to have the onter handle latch vbolt.reti''actingy mecha- 20. nismymoved into anl inoperative Position yby the operation ef the inner handle mechanism ih ,e prede'ieiiiiiiiea diiee-iieii. e y y y. It is also. an obec`t of this invention topi?)- jvide ah eiieemebiie de er leech adapted `te', be iaieheii against epereiieii, enely ale-'e iiiihiiehed by the peiati'eii of diie 'of the latch operating han-dues' =.f i

It ie enethei eleijeei;l ef this iiiveiieien `yte ievidfe eheiiteiiibiie deeeieieh wherein the iiiiier heiidle is iid,sip-ifeal ieg rlee ep'eiijeieii te het 'oiiiy reireee thev .iaieh belt but y te nieve, the oiilter handle latehblt retreating iii'embeif ein; ef effective reiieeiiye engagement with the latch heli se] that the operation of. the outer, handle i,will not cause a retraction f said latchbolt. v 4 l It-ii's flilith bbiecti thisvtiv t0 lieviiie e vehineiieeiheieh wherein the eurer handle rlatch bolt retractihg ihe'ehiiism is adapted tqbe moved into' an inoperative p0- eitie-ii by the 'operation jef the iiiiiei. ,1i-anale ineehanlsx'n-in a direction opposite tothe nor- .irial ,direction of linen-iiieney f sind inner iiiitdle for the purpose of retreating the latch -o1 e w p iIi; is fiiithe'riiiore b ct ef ythis iiiveiiiioh tqpr'ovide a vehicleE oor latch wherein the iniiei and eiiiei handles are centeued by e ein-gie spring which iets eii the iiiiieifiiiiii so e'iiier handle 'reiiiieiiiig iiieiiibeis te had the 1926. serial' Ne. 111,202.

handles in their normal positions when the latch bolt is partly projected.

It is a further object of this invention to provide a door latch wherein the Iinner handle roll-back is adapted to be operated in a predetermined direction to co-act -With the Outer handle roll-back or latch bolt retracting member torender the same inoperative with respect to the actuation ofthe latch bolt, said roll-back members of the inner and outer F handles being controlled by a single spring which not Onlyacts to latch the inner and outer handle rollfbackmember in a latching position, but also fvesQ-'as a means for returning the ont-ef., bolt retracting 'member into normal retractingengagement with the latch bolt.

I It is an vimportant object 'of this invention to provide a vehicledoor of comparatively l inexpensive construction adapted to render '10 thevoperation of the outer handle eii'ectiv'e or ineffective in causing retraction of the latch bolt, by simply operating the inner handle in a direction opposite from the normal latch boltretracting direction of movement.

Other `a'lidflirthe'r import-ant objects of this' invention will be apparent from thel disclo- "Siresv in the specification and the accompanyngidivings.

,This 1nvent1on`(1n a. preferred form)` is so iniieheied iii the drawings and hereinafter more fully described..

- Onythe drawings:l j

, Figiirel is ,a flan view of an automobile doorltch embov ying the principles of this invention. j`

Fig'nre 2 is 'anlenlarged interior viei'v pf the door latch with the casing removed and .showing the operating mechanisms in normal I position. t p y ,Figure 3 is a similar view` of they intei'fiiei` of the doorflatch showingr the position .fozE' parts `vvhenfthe outer-,handle isactuated vto movethe latch boltinto a retracted osition'. y

. Figi1`re4 is a view similar to ignre 2 95 showing the innerI handle cam or roll-back moved into a positionto position ``the, oi-iter handle retreating member in an inoperative position and simiiltaneously set a key .look controlled mechanism in a position to return' it) ndle-rOll-bck or latch 55l the inner handle cam or roll-back into normal position` bythe use of a key from the exterior of the door.

Figure 5 is an enlarged detailed transverse section of the automobile door latch taken on line V -V of Figure 1.

Figure 6 is a transverse detail section taken on line VI-VI of Figure 2.

Figure 7 is a plan view of the interior of a modified form of automobile door latch equipped with a remote control mechanism.

Figure 8 is a transverse detail section taken on line VIII-VIII of Figure 7.

As shown on the drawings:

The improved vehicle door latch comprises a mounting plate or back plate 1, one end of which is bent at an angle to afford a flange 2 having a latch bolt opening therein. Secured in a boss or stud 3 formed on the mounting plate 1 is the inner end of a heavy coiled spring 4, the outer end of which projects to engage against a lug or shoulder 5 which is struck from or formed on a latch bolt extension arm or bar 6 which is slidably mounted longitudinally of the mounting plate 1 between guide lugs or fianges 7 and 8. The guide flanges 7 and 8 are struck inwardly in parallel planes from a cover plate or casing 9 which is secured to the mounting plate 1 to enclose the operating mechanisms of the latch. Secured to one end of the latch bolt extension bar or shank 6 is a latch bolt head 10 which is adapted to slidably project through an opening `in the mounting plate fiange 2. Integrally formed on the upper margin of the inner end of the latch bolt extension 6 is an arm 11 which is slidable beneath the guide flange .7. Also integrally formed on the lower margin of the inner end yof the latch bolt` extension 6 is a stop shoulde'r=` 12 which is adapted to contact against vt'h'efgguide flange 8l for the `purpose of limitin theioutward movement of the latch bolt lieadflO' and the latch bolt extension 6. Integrally formed on the upper margin of the latch bolt extension 6 betwee'n the arm 11 and the lug 5 is an upwardly projecting finger or lug 13 lfor a purpose hereinafter more vclearly described.

Rotatable in an opening in the mounting plate l is a boss formed on the outer end of an inner handle roll-back 14 positioned to normally have one edge thereof in Contact with the latch bolt extension arm 11, as clearly shown inFigure 2. The roll-back 14 is provided with a square opening '15 for the purpose of receiving the squared inner end 'of a stem of an inner handle-.(not shown).

Integrallyformed on the inner handle rollback is a locking or latch cam 16 which carries a lock pin, 17 projecting from one side `thereof.- Also integrally formed on the in-V ner handle roll-back 14 isv a finger or projection 18 lv hi ch gis normallv diiectd down-- mounting plate 1 is the middle looped por.

tion 20 of a handle control spring having one arm `21 thereof bent to afford a hump' at 22, and an indented or curved portion at 23.

The hump portion of the spring arm 22 is adapted to co-act with the inner handle latch cam 16, as illustrated in Figures 2 and 3. The handle control spring is provided with a Sec,- ond arm 24 the end of which is bent to hook around a pin 25 secured at right angles in a bifurcated or forked outer handle retracting member 26. The spring arm 2,4 acts to hold the lower edge of the outer handle retracting member 26 in its normal operative position in engagement with the finger 13 of the latch bolt extension. retracting member 26v is pivotally engaged on a pin 27 secured on the outer end of an outer handle roll-back or crank arm 28, the hub portion of which is provided with a suitable boss which is pivotally engaged in an opening of the mounting plate 1. The hub portion ofthe outerhandle roll-back 28 is provided with a squared opening 29 for the purpose of One end of the outer handle receiving thel squared inner end of a stem of plate 1 against `which the latch cam 16' is adaptedfto abut when the inner handle is actuated in a 'direction opposite to the normal direction of movement thereof for the purpose of moving `the outer handle retracting member into arr inoperative position.

Also supported on the mounting plate 1 is a pin 32 on which a bell crank is pivotally mounted. The -short arm 33 of the bell crank is directed upwardly and has a rounded head which co-acts with the finger or projection 18 of the inner handle roll-back. The long arm 34 ofthe bell crank is provided with a notched or bifurcated head 35, the notch portion of which is engaged on a pin 36 secured at right angles on acrank arm 37. The crank arm 37 is supported on the inner end of a barrel 38 of a key lock which is mounted on the mounting plate 1 and is adapted'to receive the key for the purpose of unlocking the automobile door latch from the exterior of the vehicle.

' Figures 7 and 8 illustrate an automobile door latch of a construction similar to that illustrated in Figures 1 to 6 inclusive. In the modified form of construction, however, the latch bolt extension 6 is provided with a longitudinal opening 39. The inner and outer handle mechanisms and the latch bolt mechanisms have the various parts thereofl bar 40 into which the downwardly projecting` finger or lug 18 of the inner handle roll-back projects. Secured through the slide bar 40 is a pin 43 the'head of which is slidably engaged in the longitudinal slot 44 provided in the mounting plate l. The pin 43 moving in the guide slot 44 acts-to afford a means for limiting the sliding movement of the slide bar 40 with respect to the mounting plate 1. Secured to the pin 1 adjacent slide bar `40 is the inner end of a remote control connecting rod or `bar 45 the outer end of which projects from the door lock casing 9. Pivotally connected to the outer end of the remote control connecting bar` 45 is one end of a crank -arm 46 the otherend of which is provided with a hub portion 47 adapted to receive the stem of a remote control handle- (not shown). The remote control handle may, of course, be located in any desired position' on the inner side of preferably one of the front doors of the vehicle so that operation thereof will release the inner handle roll-back and permit the outer handle retracting member to drop back into operative co-acting position with the latch bolt extension 6. j

The operation is asfollows.:

In the form of door latchillustrated in FiguresY 1 to 6 inclusive, the main control spring 4 presses against the lugv of the latch. bolt extension and acts to normally hold the latch bolt head 10 in its projected latching position. The improved latch is adapted to be mounted in a vehicle door in the usual position and manner to permit the projecting latch bolt head 10 toproject into an opening in a door frame strike plate to hold the door rigidly in place in the door frame.

When the door is in normal closed position the latch bolt head is projected and the handle cont-rol spring 21--24 serves the dual purpose of resiliently holding the inner han- -dle roll-back in normal contacting posiarm 24.

tion with the .latch bolt extension arm 11 and the outer handle retracting member 26 in co-acting relation with the linger 13 of the latch bolt extension 6; y

With the parts in the position illustrated in Figure 2 the closed door may be readily opened from the-exterior of the vehicle by simply turning the outer handle 30 into the dotted line position illustrated in Figure 3, thereby causing the outer handle roll-back 28 to slide the outer handle retractin member 26 inwartll against the action of t e spring Iiiward Amovement of the retracting member 26 causesl the lower finger or tine thereof to a-ct against the latch bolt eX- tension finger 13 to slide the latch bolt leX- tension 6 inwardly intothe position shown in Figure 3, thereby retracting the latch bolt head 10 out of engagement with the opening in the strike plate of the door frame. When th-is operation takes place the main control spring 4 is of course compressed ready to proj ect the latch bolt head 10 outwardly into normal position as soon as the outer handle 30 is released. With the latch bolt head 10 retracted the vehicle door may be swung outwardly into open position and the outer handle released, as stated, to permit the latch bolt to be projected outwardly by the action of the spring 4. Return of the latch bolt-to the latch b'olt head 10 and the latch bolt eX- tension 6 inwardly against the action of the control spring 4. When the inner handle is operated to retract the latch bolt vthe outer handle mechanisms are undisturbed; With the release of the inner handle after the opening of the door the clontrol spring 4 acts to automatically return the inner handle to its normal position, and, furthermore, serves to slide the latch bolt outwardly into its normal position. Y

- The improved door latch is constructed to permit' the inner handle mechanism to move the outer handle retracting member 26 into, a release or inoperative position with respect to the latch bolt extension iinger 13. This operation may take place when the door is either in closed or in open position. To move the outer handle retracting member/26 into a released position the inner handle is operated in a direction opposite its normal direc-\ tion of operation. This movement of the inner handle causes the inner handle rollback 14 to bemoved from the positionl illustrated in Figure 1 into the position illustrated in Figure 4 thereby simultaneously causing the pin 17 on the inner handle latch cam 16 to raise the forked' end of the outer-l Figure 4 whereby the forked head 35 of the bell crank acting on the pin 36 causes the cra-nk arm 37 to swing downwardly from its normal horizontal position. This moveyment of the crank arm 37 actuates the key lock mechanism 38 to lock the same. In the above mentioned' position of the lock parts the outer handle retracting member '26, and the outer handleare inaiective in causing retraction of the latch bolt mechanism, since operation of the.- outer handle will merely causel the outer handle retracting member 28 to slidably move over the upper edge of the latch bolt extension finger 13. As the inner handle roll-back 14 is moved into the position illustrated in Figure 4 the latch cam 16 is moved into contact with the stop pin 31 thereby limiting the movement of the inner.

as illustrated in Figure 4, the door may be closed to permit the latch bolt head -10 to engage in the opening of the door frame strike Plate to hold the door latched in position against release by the outer handle mechanisms. that when the outer handle mechanism is moved into a position that is inaiiective in causing retraction of the latch bolt mechanism that the inner handle mechanism may of course be operated at any time from the interior of the vehicle to cause retraction of the latch bolt mechanism and return of the outer handle retracting member 26 into its normal operating position by the'action of the compressed spring arm 24.

In this type of door latch it will be noted that the latch bolt and the inner handle are always free to be operated from the interior of the car, and that the outer handle mechanisms are the parts which may be latched or moved intoinoperative position.

AIt will thus be noted that all of the doors of an automobile, the exce tion of one, may be latched against opening y operation of the inner handle mechanisms. The last or fourth door of the vehicle is equipped, as

.v described, with a key release mechanism so constructed that the owner of a car may unlock the key lock 38 by means of a key, thereby causing the crank arm 37 to berswung upwardly from the position' shownin Figure 4 into the position shown in Figure 2 to ref turn the bell crank member 33-,34 into is It will, of course, be understood sion or finger 180i the inner handle roll-back causes the inner handle roll-back to be returned from the position shown in Figure 4 to the normal position shown in Figure 2 in co-acting engagement with the. latch bolt extension arm 11. .As this operation takes place the outer handle retracting member 26 is, of course, released'and the spring arm 24-moves said retracting member 26 into normal engagement with the latching bolt relation with the latch bolt arms 11 to retract said latch bolts permitting openingof the doors from the interior of the car.

-In the modified form oftheimproved automobile door latch illustrated in Figures 7 and 8, the construction and operation of the latch and inner and outer handle mechanisms is similar to that already described. In this form of the device, however, the inner handle may be omitted and the latch bolt retracted from the interior ofthe car by means of ar remote control mechanism which may be 1ocated in any convenient desired position within the car so that operation ofthe remote control handle will actuate thefcrank 46 and the connecting bar 45 to cause sliding movement of the slide bar 40, the lug or projection 41 of which acting in the opening 39 will cause retraction of the latch bolt 10. In

this form of the device the latch bolt, of

course, may also be retracted by operation of the outer handle mechanism.

Operation of the remote control handle in I a direction opposite to' the normal direction of operation will cause theA slide bar 40 to move in a direction to co-act with the inner handle extension 18 to swing the inner handle roll-back into a latching position causing the pin 17 to raise Athe outer handle retracting member 26 into a release or inoperative position with the spring arm 21 lockingly engaging the latch cam 16 and the inner handle roll-back 14 in a set position of adjustment. The outer handle mechanisms and the inner handle roll-back of course may be movedl back into normal position by swinging the remote control handle in its normal direction. It will, of course, be understood that if desired the remote control door latch mechanism illustrated in Figure 7, may be `provided with a key lock release mechanism sim- 1lar to that shown in Figure 4 to permit the remote control lock mechanism to be released from the exterior of the'car by means of a latch bolt, a main spring for holding thekey. In this adaptation of the-device the short bell crank arm 33 may be positioned to co-act with the inner end of the remote con trol slide bar 40.

I am aware that many changes may be' made, and numerous details of construction may be varied through a wide range without departing from the principles of this invention, and I therefore do not purpose limiting the patent granted hereon, otherwise than necessitated by the prior art.

I claim as my invention:

1. An automobile door latch comprising a same projected intoA latching position, an outer handle retracting member, an outer handle roll-back pivotally connected thereto, an outer handle adapted to actuate the outer handle roll-back and said outer handle retracting member to cause retraction of the latch bolt, a second spring connected with said outer handle retracting member to resiliently hold the same in co-acting relation with the latch bolt, an inner handle roll-back, a cam integrally formed vthereon and co-acting with said second spring, an inner handle adapted to be operated in one direction to -operate said inner handle roll-back to cause retraction of the latch bolt, said inner handle adapted to be operated in an opposite direc- @tion to move the outer handle retracting member into an inoperative position and simultaneously cause the second spring 'to lockingly hold the inner handle roll-back in a set position of adjustment', and a key operated mechanism in said lock adapted to be set by the reverse movement of said inner handle roll-back to permit a key to'release the same and said inner handle roll-back per' mitting the second spring to return the outer handle retracting member into normal en gagement with the latch bolt to again permit retraction of the latch bolt by the operation of the outer handle.

2. An automobile latch comprising a latch bolt, a main spring for controlling the o era' tion thereof, an inner handle rollack adapted to be operated in one direction to cause retraction of said latch bolt, an outer handle rollback, an outer handle retracting member pivotall connected thereto and coacting with saidatch bolt to cause retraction thereof, a cam extension, on said ,inner handle roll-back co-acting with said` outer handle retracting member, a spring co-actinglwith i both said outer handle retracting member kmi and said inner handle roll-back to hold the same in normal co-acting relation with said` latch bolt, an extension on said inner handle roll back, a bell crank co-acting with vsaid extension, a crank arm co-acting with said bell crank, and a key operated mechanism for actuating said crank arm.

3. A vehicle door latch com rising a cas-' ing, a spring' controlled latch oltmovably mounted therein, an outer handle mechanism 'direction opposite to its normal direction of movement, a spring in said casing co-acting with said outer handle retracting. mechanism and with said inner handle retracting mechanism, and a key operated mechanism vadapted tol be set by the operation of said inner handle mechanism when the same is moved in a direction opposite to the normal direction of movement thereof, said key operated mechanism adapted to be released by means of a key to return the inner handle mechanisms and said4 outer handle mecha-I nisms to their normal positions. l

4. A latch comprising a casing, a 'spring controlled latch bolt slidably mounted therein, an outer handle mechanism co-acting Withl said latch bolt to permit retraction thereof, aninner handle mechanism co-acting with said latch bolt and With said outer handle mechanism@ spring in said casing co-acting with said outer handle mechanism and with 'said inner handle mechanism, and a key operated mechanism in said casing co-acting with sa1d inner handle mechanism adapted to be operated to permit return of said 'inner handle mechanism and said outer handle mechanism to normal osition.

5. In a latch the com ination with a spring controlled latch bolt, ofco-acting inner and outer handle mechanisms adapted to be in-,

dependently operated to cause retraction of said latch bolt, resilient means co-acting With said inner and outer handle mechanisms to hold the same in resilient contact with said latch bolt, said inner handle mechanism adapted to be operated in one direction to cause retraction of the latch bolt, and in an c opposite direction to .cause the outer handle mechanism to be moved out of operative relation with said latch bolt, and a key releasable mechanism co-acting with said inner handle mechanism adapted to be set when .said inner handle mechanism is moved into av posif tion to cause the outer handle mechanism to be moved into an inoperative position.

6.. A door latch comprisin 'a casing, a

spring controlled latch bolt sli ably mounted therein, an inner handle mechanism co-acting with said latch bolt, a bifurcated outer handle mechanism co-acting with said latch` bolt and with said .inner handle mechanism, and a spring co-acting with said bifnrcated outer handle mechanism and with said inner handle mechanism adapted to resiliently hold said bifurcated outer handle mechanism and said with said latch bolt, and further adapted to hold said inner handle mechanism in a locked' position of adjustment when said inner handle mechanism is operated to move the biurcated outer handle mechanism into an inoperative position with respect to said latch bolt.

7. A door latch comprising a casing, a spring controlled latch bolt slidably mounted therein, an outer handle mechanism in said casing adapted to be operated to cause retraction of the latch bolt, a key operated mechanism in said casing, and an inner handle mechanism Within said casing co-acting With said latch bolt, with said outer handle mechanism and With said key operated mechanism, l

said inner handle mechanism adapted to be moved in one direction to cause retraction of the latch bolt and to be moved in an opposite direction to simultaneously cause movement of said outer handle mechanism into an inoperative position With respect to the latch bolt, and setting of said key operated mechanism to permit the same when released by a key to return the inner handle mechanism and said outer handle mechanism to their normal positions.

8. The combination with a spring controlled latch bolt, of an inner handle mechanism and an outer handle mechanism coacting with one another and Withsaid latch bolt, a spring for holding said inner and outer handle mechanisms in co-acting relation with said latch bolt, and a key operated mechanism co-acting with said inner handle mechanism, said inner handle mechanism adapted to be operated in one direction to cause retraction of the latch bolt and in an opposite direction to cause lsimultaneous release of said outer handle mechanism and setting-of said key operated mechanism.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto subscribed my name.

BAYARD E. TAYLOR. 

